Confession of an English Teacher

I have this love-hate relationship with writing. Sometimes I have words inside my head that scream to be released through my fingertips, but I usually manage to subdue them by finding something else to do. (And, no, I don't need medication.) Grade papers. Clean. Bake. Read. Sometimes modeling "good" writing for the students I teach is enough. Sometimes I'll settle for a good diary entry, although that rarely happens. I find it odd that as an English teacher I don't really enjoy the process of writing, and I'm relieved because well-known, published authors often relate the same feelings. Lately, however, the words won't be silenced, and I think I've discovered why: the sixth graders I teach.

For six years I worked as a senior editor/office manager at a small publishing company. It was my honor to read craftily created stories for this publishing company, and I enjoyed it because, for the most part, the submissions were well written, engaging. Five years ago, I made a career change and went back to college to get my teaching license, and I'm now in my fourth year of teaching English to sixth graders. Most of the time it is a fairly rewarding job, but as I read through 100 papers of middle school students each week, I find that my mind is shriveling from starvation. I'm worried that after reading so many of their papers that I will actually begin to write as they do. "Hi, my name is...and I'm going to tell you about..." Or, "I hope you liked reading my paper." (Yes, even at first semester's end there are some brave students who still attempt to begin and end stories with these phrases. Where do they learn to do this anyway??)

So, I welcome you to the debut of Cackleberry Capers, a way to help counteract the frustration I feel at times when reading final drafts that look exactly like rough drafts, only slightly more legible. My only fear is that readers who aren't familiar with me won't catch the sarcastic tone in some of these posts, but if I can find enjoyment in blogging and can make a reader or two chuckle, then my mission has been accomplished.

I hope you liked reading my blog....